Message heard

First, I want to make I clear that I in no manner am being critical of any specific pastor or message.

What I desire is your thoughts concerning a trend I have heard from more than one preacher.

The thinking goes along the flow of the river in statements such as “If I don’t see it (or hear it), it didn’t happen.”

“It” is to taken as anything from gossiping, adultery, embezzlement, some excess, ….

My own opinion is that this is dangerously unScriptural.

My own experience in churches is that when staff and pastors ignore rumors, sin will abound.

I have personally had the view that if there is a rumor of impropriety of any member, as a part of the staff entrusted with the truths of Scripture and responsibility of the flock, I had the to liability before God to confront the issue with that member and find out the truthfulness so the rumor was shown to be false or true.

Did not Paul react to rumor? He didn’t see that person, but heard about it from another or others. (1 Corinthians 5)

In your opinion, was I being too aggressive?

What is your own thinking on this matter?

 

I would agree, however, another side is that lets rumors go and multiply.

Part of the confrontation aspect is also to squelch un-factual “gossiping”. When people know that what they say will be confronted if not truthfully and factually based, then they tend to put a guard to their lips and speak in a “circumspect” manner.